Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK
Oklahoma Alfalfa Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station

ALFALFA, QUEEN OF FORAGES Because of its importance among forage crops, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is referred to as "Queen of Forages". Lucerne is another name sometimes used for this species which evolved and was first  used in Iran. Alfalfa was first successfully grown in the United States during the mid 1850's and is now most intensively grown in Wisconsin and other upper Midwest states. The history of alfalfa in Oklahoma began with the first settlers. Many brought a bag of seed from wherever they came, and descendants of some of those introductions are still grown by a few Oklahoma families. During the last 25 years alfalfa acreage has remained between 350,000 and 600,000 and is concentrated in the western half of the state. Alfalfa’s cash value to Oklahoma rose from $74 million   in 1977 to a high of $129 million in 1992. Part of this increase was due to average forage yields increasing from 3.2 to 3.6 tons/acre over this period. Higher hay prices also contributed -- rising from $60 in the late 1970's to more than $90/ton during the last several years. Alfalfa is one of the most important forages for livestock. It is the most important "high quality" forage crop because of its high protein, vitamins, energy, digestibility. Alfalfa can be used whenever herbivores need high quality diet for: growth stamina strength production of meat, milk, wool, eggs, feathers, etc. Alfalfa is used as a high quality component of forage mixtures and allows use of lower quality forages in rations. It is also important for soil enrichment, soil water holding capacity improvement, mulch, and extraction of deep minerals and nitrogen. It is even used by humans for nutritional tablets and alfalfa sprouts!

John Caddel, Forage Agronomist   Department of Plant and Soil Sciences   Oklahoma State University

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